The overall theme of this teacher-tested unit is using maps to understand borders and their impacts in Europe. The materials will help your middle school students to use maps to think about how borders intersect physical and human geographical features, and how those intersections can lead to cooperation and/or conflict. The educator resources provided in the unit include maps, multimedia, and case studies that will enable students to develop skills in map analysis and apply that analysis to specific situations. Other parts of the unit will invite you and your students to explore similar cases in Europe and your own community.

John Boyer, a Virginia Tech instructor who teaches a supersized world geography intro course (2,760 students) with 2 TAs - uses social media to maintain high personal touch with the students and to attract world-famous guest instructores (e.g., Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi).